Is your family is snobby when it comes to homemade dishes

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My in laws are very snobby when it comes to homemade food.

When I say snobby they wouldn’t judge a single mum relying on something pre made for example but when it comes to the stuff they eat they massively favour homemade stuff. I just find it amusing tbh! They all get VERY excited when someone brings over homemade bread and desserts. Wanting to know what recipe/method you chose. All birthday cakes are homemade. I swear a cake from Tesco would sit completely unopened in the fridge.

There is one vegetarian family member and my sister in law is going to make an entire veggie wellington just for him. I suggested just getting something from M&S and she completely baulked at the very idea. Tbf everyone is a good cook.

It definitely stems from MIL. Who grows her own food, makes chutneys etc. They would never dream of shoving in an Indian selection from Waitrose as starters like my family doesx

I just find it fascinating tbh.

Anyone else have family like this? Even croissants are homemade!

Absolutely - it is a totally reasonable way to cook frozen peas. Great use of a microwave.

Ovens are quite commonly on a wall?

Have you never seen one like this?

https://simplybetterliving.sharpusa.com/simply-better-you/is-a-double-wall-oven-worth-it/

Id be more than happy for someone to go to the effort of bringing a patisserie cake. But the person showing up with a last minute Asda trifle would definitely be getting eye rolls from me. If I’ve gone to the effort of making a full meal - that’s just lazy and rude.
If they can’t afford/ have something going on that means they can’t make, they should either pop to a proper bakery or just tell me and I’ll sort it myself.

They look and smell gross, they are full of UPFs. They aren't healthy. Who would eat those over home made food? - generally only people who have already destroyed their taste buds or those who put TV ahead of their health.

@Cherrytree86 - how long do you think it takes to knock up a decent meal? There are lots of dinners I make that take under 20 minutes, and I wash up as I go so there's very little to clear up.

People who like to cook tend to have well stocked cupboards and can pull together meals from what they have to hand.

Tbh I buy a lot of frozen and prepackaged food ( there are lots of reasonably healthy options) but even I balk at the supermarket cakes. Have you tried reading the list of ingredients? They're horrible. There are options for non homemade cakes that are not complete junk.

Homemade food whether meals or cakes always fill you up more and do taste better. I’m also aware of hidden salt and sugar in bought stuff. I don’t have a problem the odd time eating shop bought at home but I do try to cook from scratch (and I hate cooking). If I went to friends’ houses to eat I really don’t mind what they serve me as I’m there for the company not particularly the food.

Once you realise the flavour you’re tasting is synthetic additives and added salt, and not actual food, they taste gross.

Yeah, that makes sense!

Sounds extremely healthy to me. I think it's the best way to live and something I am aiming to give more time to in 2026

My daughter had a boyfriend when she was in her teens whose mother worked full time but cooked absolutely everything from scratch. They often go out for long family walks on a Sunday and his mum (yes his mum not the bf) would phone my dd to ask what she’d like in her sandwich and which cake.

It was very kind and would make me quite jealous (of the food!). But alas dd felt quite smothered in other ways and her and the boy parted company.

I think it's great they appreciate home made stuff and see effort and benefit. However a wee Indian selection is not a terrible thing

Eating homemade is simply taking care of yourself.

I haven't RTFT but when you say "tescos birthday cake" OP which one do you mean because if it was the basic party one with stars on theres no way that could be left uneaten in my house and I make a mean Victoria Sp.

I wouldn't say snobby they just enjoy cooking from scratch they obviously have the time or they put that cooking time into their day.
I don't do home cooking that often anymore but wish I could make time to do it more.
Look home cooked food and fres bread and cakes .. shop cakes are horrible if we admit it.

It sounds like it comes from a place of appreciation of the effort that someone puts into making homemade. I certainly love my friends homemade sourdough when she drops a loaf off, over the best one I’ve ever purchased - it’s the thought, time and care put into something

Perhaps your in-laws have a diet which suits them. We have rarely bought supermarket pre-made meals as they are ultra processed and full of non-food ingredients. Plus we both have dietary requirements which makes it difficult with shop bought meals.
Not everyone has learnt to cook or grow their own, so they have the choice of a variety of preprepared meals from the shops.
Both DH and I learnt to cook at a young age so we are fortunate to have the choice. We have a small garden but have squeezed in some raised beds to grow some fruit and veg.
We stay occasionally with a dear friend who is no longer able to cook so she buys some really nice pre-made meals for us as well as a good choice of fresh vegetables to accompany the meals. She won't let us cook when we stay as she insists we are there for a rest!
Much as we love her, we are pleased to get home though to eat our own home cooked food.
If you are hosting then you should do as you wish regarding catering but don't turn down any offers from anyone to contribute to the meal, homemade or otherwise. Whatever you do, it will be wonderful.
By the way, I give homemade mincemeat, cranberry sauce and jams for Christmas presents. 🤣

I was bought up helping mom in the kitchen. I also became a chef. My adult children were bought up knowing how to cook, bake etc.

They now do the same with their children. I also bake and cook with my grandchildren.

There's nothing snobby about it. The food tastes nicer. It's much fresher and not full of additives. It also works out cheaper. It's also fun cooking with them.

Ready made food costs so much more. Quite frankly a single mom or anyone struggling with money is better making it from scratch as it's so much cheaper

Where on earth do you get the idea it's snobby to make your own food, makes no sense to me

They’re not snobby, they just like home made which to be fair is much nicer

My mother will serve me up one of these and I can never finish one. Last week's "steak pie" was inedible. Even my younger dog who will eat anything wouldn't touch it.

I'd be perfectly happy with just the vegetables she does for everyone.

Sorry but I think most processed food is just horrible. In an emergency when there's a real rush for time or something maybe. I guess there's exceptions, I don't cook everything from scratch like bread or biscuits (or croissants!) because I don't have time, but I would appreciate that homemade would definitely be better. I would bake cookies if I'm off work and not busy. Those main dishes people buy, like the Indian ones you mentioned, just have no merit to me. They contain hardly any meat/chicken, what little they do have is usually grisly or rubbery, they cost more than cooking fresh and the portion sizes wouldn't fill you up. A lot of those supermarket cakes just aren't nice and not worth the calories. Processed food just isn't real food to me, I don't want to eat something that's made in a factory.
My in-laws are the opposite and i dont get it. Eg my SIL has never cooked fresh carrots, only tinned ones, I don't get that. Far more expensive and not at all nice. I now understand why my husband thought he hated christmas dinner before he got married and tried my family's. He thought all ham was rubbery! I guess i probably am a food snob!

Sounds amazing! My mum has a tendency to bug all those ready made snacks and basic supermarket bakery bread, I wish she would let me bring homemade, I don’t eat (most) processed food at home, it tastes inferior and worse for you. And yes I’d make a wellington too

I don’t think they’re snobby. I’m not snobby, it just wouldn’t occur to me to buy ready made stuff and my husband is the same.

This- totally agree home made food is definitely healthier.

Do you read the labels on processed food OP?

Homemade as much as possible with wiggle room for the least processed convenience food available. Not snobby at all imo

Sounds normal to me. I grew up in a homemade wholemeal kinda house and carry this on with my own household. I mean I don't make my own bread but I would never buy a birthday cake. That seems weird to me. I cook every meal from scratch pretty much, and so do my sons, now young adults and very good cooks. It's just horses for courses I guess. If you grew yo with freezer food and TV dinners that's normal. If you grew up with homemade chutney and apple crumble then that's normal.